Awards deadline is extended

This year optician has introduced six new award categories including people-orientated ones such as Outstanding Optometrist of the Year, Outstanding Dispensing Optician of the Year, Optical Assistant of the Year and Franchisee of the Year. Also making their debut are the Optical Chain of the Year (outlined below) and Optical Product of the Year, both of which are sure to be closely contested.
In the final run down of this year's Awards we look at our two last categories and news of support for the event from Specsavers Opticians.

Optical Chain of the Year
This new category is designed to recognise the achievements of the multiple sector and reward an optical chain that has had an outstanding year.
Entries should encompass all areas of practice including, health, business and retail. Entries are welcome from groups with more than 100 practices, be they owned, joint ventures or franchises.
This category will be judged by submissions from entrants on the achievements of their group plus supporting information such testimonials from staff and customers. Entries should include evidence of how the business has grown through the increase in practice and staff numbers. Additional information may indicate market share growth and profitability.
Success in other areas such as retailing, marketing, HR, logistics or training should be included in any entry, as should coverage in the national media.
The judges will be looking for evidence of a clear customer strategy and evidence of the product range and merchandising to see that through to success.
Campaigns promoting health issues, safety and general eye care will be taken as evidence of corporate responsibility as will donation to charities or sponsorship of community events. This category will be judged through submission from optical chains and information gathered by the judges from other sources.

Start Up Practice
of the Year
This category made its debut at the awards last year and proved to be a hit.
We are looking for a practice, no more than one year old on January 1 2004, that has made an excellent start.
The judges will assess each entry not just on its financial success but also on the impact it has made. This may be in how quickly the practice has established a reputation, the profile it has gained in the local community or through testimonials supplied by its patients. The judges will want to see the practice's start up plans and how they developed and milestones met or surpassed. This may include its attitude to patients, its frame and lens selection, technology and contact lenses.
Setting up a new practice is one of the most rewarding yet nerve-racking experiences of any eye care professional's career.
Our judges will include practices on the shortlist for this award that can show how they have achieved success through careful planning, understanding their market and providing patients with the service they require. Financial success is important but does not tell the full story of a practice's worth.
Your entry should spell out the ethos of the practice and why it was set up. Information on the initial targets such as the potential patient base and the market penetration achieved by the practice will all be welcomed by the judges.
Surveys, questionnaires and research on the locality and potential for the start up would all make welcome additions to the entry.

BOXTEXT: Specsavers backs Awards
Specsavers has thrown its support behind the optician Awards. It has become a sponsor of the optician Awards and hopes to highlight the importance of communicating the eye care message.
Specsavers is well known for its eye care campaigns and wants to help reward practices that put effort into promoting good eye health and eye care messages.
Over the years, good communication has formed the foundation of many successful optician Awards entries and Specsavers is helping to reward practices that go the extra mile through its sponsorship of our event.